I'm an American but studied abroad in Denmark for around 6 months. When I was there, I found out that the Nordic countries have virtually eradicated down syndrome by testing pregnant people for it. 99% choose to abort. How do you guys feel about this?
Personally this is quite disturbing to me. I've known people with down syndrome who live happy, quality lives. Even if it is up to the mother whether or not to abort, when it happens 99% of the time, is it not cultural eugenics? It seems the culture is almost afraid of taking care of a child with down syndrome. Especially in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, where the resources to take care of them are more widely available. If you could test for other things like autism, or even something like extreme depression, would yall do the same thing?
EDIT: I am strongly pro choice and I have talked to many American people on both sides of the political spectrum about this and they unanimously agree with me. On an individual level, I support everyones right to make their own decisions, but when it gets to the population level it becomes more of a cultural issue. There seems to be a cultural agreement that children with down syndrome are too difficult to care for. Does that make it ok to eradicate them? I honestly don't know
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The original was posted on /r/denmark by /u/queen_bs at 2024-03-13 15:12:18+00:00.
crazymissdaisy87 at 2024-03-13 15:31:05+00:00 ID:
kuotrx9Firstly the scan is optional.
Secondly, no one encourages abortion if it says risk of downs syndrome, it is merely an option.
Thirdly you forget all the other things that go along with a downs syndrome diagnosis: heart disease, dementia, respiratory issues, autoimmune, need for specialised care, the list goes on and on. My husband is very firm about downs being a dealbreaker because he worked with those with downs syndrome who do not live a happy quality life. You never know until the child is born and grows.
At to that a need of public assistance and care, in a system that is not working as it should, subjecting a child to that willingly also plays a part. As I said, you do not know how many more ailments they have, how the quality of life is until they live.
Full respect to anyone making the choice, no matter the choice. It is not an easy one